Thursday, May 13, 2010

Conundrum: child-minding during school holidays?

Next year my son will start Prep. And so our life, like so many others will be scheduled by term dates and school holidays.

I've been thinking about school holidays and what will happen to the kids when I need to be at work. I've been thinking about it so much, that now I'm considering teaching so I can be home when they are. Then I thought about it some more and thought there has to be some good alternative solutions instead of retraining in a whole different career.

What do you do when your kids need to be looked after during the holiday break?

Do you plead with their grandparents to hold down the fort? How does that work if the kids' grandparents are still working themselves?

Do you bring them into your office? Are you allowed to do that and can you bear to do it against the dull chorus of, 'I'm bored, Mum. When do we go home?'

Do you use local holiday care programs for the term breaks?

Have you ever negotiated with a friend to take alternate weeks off and share child-minding during that time?

Given that school holidays run for approximately nine weeks of the year and most employees only have four weeks of annual leave, how do you account for the extra time needed?

1 comment:

vacation care can be wonderful for kids. They often have excursions and in most states have stringent guidelines to follow.Check and see what your centrelink percentage is, the more kids you have in care - the higher your percentage rate and you can claim up to $7000 per child, per year on 50% of your out of pocket expenses.Try exchanging care with other mum's in the same situation, or join together and hire a nanny!Have a great holiday!